Originally posted by Vickie Welborn - Shreveport Times - March 4, 2010
MANSFIELD - A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the family of a Robeline man killed a year ago while working on a massive dragline used in surface mining operations in DeSoto Parish.
Stanley Nolen Freeman, 44, died on March 6, 2009, while working as a dragline oiler for Dolet Hills Lignite Company at the mine in southeast DeSoto Parish. Freeman’s job was to lubricate the slide/cam mechanism of the dragline using bags of grease. Freeman died after he fell and was crushed by the moving machine.
His death is the first in the mine since lignite excavation began there in the mid-1980s.
The petition for damages was filed Friday in DeSoto’s 42nd Judicial Court. Plaintiffs are Jennifer Hensley, Patrick Freeman and Stanley Freeman. Named as defendants are Dolet Hills Lignite Company, American Electric Power Co. Inc., AEP Energy Services Inc., Southwestern Electric Power Co., Terry Bowden, Dennis Meyer, Dale Hill, Steve Moore, John McCorkle, Rodney Basco and David Grubb.
“We do not comment on any lawsuit issues,” said Scott McCloud, SWEPCO corporate communications, wrote in an e-mail today in response to the court filing.
Lawrence Gettys, managing attorney of the Baton Rouge firm of Brent Coon & Associates, said today in a news release Freeman should not have been physically on the dragline while it was in motion.
“The requirement was a clear violation of several government safety standards,” the release states. “This particular accident is just one in a long line of accidents that have occurred at Dolet, a company that has a reputation for negligence, poor safety conditions and suspending safety protocols. The lawsuit seeks compensation on behalf of Freeman’s two children from Dolet and other defendants.”
Gettys added: “This is a company that has repeatedly put workers in harm’s way, resulting in serious injury and death. We intend to send a message to Dolet that risking the lives of its employees will not be tolerated. “
Dolet Hills Mining Co., a subsidiary of SWEPCO, uses two draglines to expose the lignite vein. The larger dragline has a 77-cubic yard bucket, weighs about 8 million pounds and is as tall as a 20-story building. It’s powered by electricity and moves at a slow pace on its mechanical “feet.”
The mine provides lignite for the 650-megawatt CLECO-SWEPCO Dolet Hills Power Station that is operated by CLECO.
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